Breast support

ABSTRACT

A breast support useful among other things to minimize postpartum breast engorgement with its resulting discomfort which includes a body encircling structure completely overlying and conforming to the entire anatomy of the breasts and formed of an elastic material for applying substantially uniform pressure to the breasts to minimize venous and glandular engorgement.

[ 51 Feb. 27, 1973 Pagano et al.

l28/494 .....l28/499 4/1959 Sl0ate...................................128/489 k n h B 3 5 9 1 no 3,500,665 3/1970 Braxton et a]. 2,648,070

Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney-Eugene E. Goeffrey, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A breast support useful among other things to [22] Filed: March 11, 1971 211 App]. No.: 123,224

minimize postpartum breast engorgement with its 52 us. ...12s/499 resulting discomfort which includes a y n ircling 51 m C] A41c 3/00 structure completely overlying and conforming to the [58] Field of Search entire anatomy of the breasts and formed of an elastic material for applying substantially uniform pressure to the breasts to minimize venous and glandular engorgement.

[56] References Cited 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,327,408 1/1920 Schloss.................................128/499 BREAST SUPPORT The invention relates to breast supports and is particularly useful to reduce postpartum breast engorgement and discomfort and more specifically to a novel and improved support that will minimize venous and glandular engorgement and at the same time provide a relatively comfortable garment that is easily applied and removed.

Breast binders as well as drugs have been used to reduce postpartum pain and prior known binders have generally involved the use of heavy cloths wrapped tightly about the body and breasts and even slightly undersized brassieres of conventional construction have been used in an effort to apply pressure to the breasts. While these procedures are helpful, they have not been found satisfactory not only because of the added discomfort to the patient and the difficulty entailed in applying them, but also because of the failure to apply proper even pressure to the breasts which may result in permanent damage to the connective and supporting tissue of the normal breast.

This invention overcomes the difficulties heretofore encountered and provides a novel and improved support which the patient can readily apply, is comfortable to wear, will apply the desired uniform pressure throughout the entire breast area and thus effectively minimize the engorgement that causes postpartum pain and also maintains the normal anatomical integrity of the breasts.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved breast support which is characterized by its ease of application, relatively low cost, and maintains the normal anatomical relationship of the breast tissue.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a breast support in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2 thereof;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are front and rear views respectively of a support in position on the body; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a modified embodiment of a support in accordance with the invention.

While it has been known that postpartum breast discomfort can be minimized by binding the breasts with heavy cloths, towels, and the like, the application of such binders is difficult and does not produce reliable and dependable results. Actual tests have indicated that with the utilization of this improved breast support in accordance with the invention, highly effective results can be attained, and it is believed that significant factors are the maintenance of normal anatomical relationship of the breast tissue and the application of substantially uniform pressure which more effectively prevents engorgement. It has also been found important to apply pressure to the axillary portions of the breasts which underlies the arm and are generally not adequately compressed with prior known breast binding procedures.

One embodiment of an improved breast support in accordance with the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4.; The support is generally denoted by the numeral l0 and includes central breast confining portions 11 and 12 and end portions 13 and 14. The lower edge 15 of the support is formed of a relatively inelastic material such as a heavy cloth or the like and is slightly curved so that it will lie in a substantially horizontal plane when encircling the body as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The upper strip 16 is similar to the strip 15 and the central portion is spaced a substantial distance from the strip 15 so that the two strips will completely bridge the breasts. The side portions 16 of the strip 16 curve slightly downwardly to lie under the arms but above the axillary portions of the breasts.

The two strips 15 and 16 are held in spaced relationship by strips l7, l8, and 19 each formed of a relatively inelastic fabric, and the ends of the strips 15 and 16 carry fastening means 20 and 21 which may be formed of strips having hook-like elements which can be firmly engaged one with the other, or the strips 20 and 21 may carry hooks and eyes to hold the binder securely about the body. Suitable shoulder straps 22 may also be attached to the upper strip 16 to provide adequate support for the structure.

The front portions 1 1 and 12 of the support bounded by strips 15, l6, l7, l8, and 15, 16, 18, 19, respectively, are closed by fabric panels 23 which are relatively highly elastic and will readily conform to the configuration of the breasts as shown in FIG. 3. With this arrangement relatively light but uniform pressure is applied throughout the entire superficial areas of the breasts and effectively minimizes postpartum engorgement. Similarly the end portions 13 and 14 are closed by similar elastic fabric panels 24 to apply uniform pressure to the axillary portions.

A modified embodiment of the invention denoted by the numeral 10' is shown in FIG. 5, and corresponding elements of FIGS. 1 and 5 are denoted by like numerals. In this embodiment the panels 23 of the front portions 11 and 12 of the support are provided with annular sections of elastic materials of different elastic properties in order to attain even greater uniformity of pressure. For instance the center portions 25 of each panel may be formed of a material that is only slightly elastic while the surrounding portions 26, 27, and 28 may be formed of materials successively more elastic so that the portions subjected to the greatest stress will have the greatest elasticity while those subjected to the least stress will have the least elasticity. In this way more uniform pressure is applied to all portions of each breast. If desired, the panels 23 and 23' may be preformed in order to control the pressure applied to the breasts.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that the support in accordance with the invention affords numerous advantages not attainable with prior known binding methods, namely, more effective support of the normal breast as well as abnormal conditions of the breast and prevention of postpartum venous and glandular engorgement of the entire breast tissue including axillary portions, ease of application of the support and materially increased comfort for the wearer. These ends are effected by the application of substantially uniform pressure throughout the entire areas of the breasts.

The term elasticity as used herein is intended to refer to the ease of deformation of a material as used in the popular sense and does not refer to the degree with which a body resists deformation and the rapidity of recovery therefrom.

While only certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is apparent that alterations, modifications and changes may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A breast support which conforms to the anatomical configuration of the breast and also minimizes postpartum breast discomfort comprising a body encircling band having front panels substantially completely overlying and confining the breasts and side panels having top edges lying just beneath the arm and overlying the axillary portion of each breast, the panels of said band overlying each breast and said axillary portions being formed of an elastic material to exert substantially uniform pressure throughout each entire breast and conform to the anatomy of the breasts to minimize superficial venous and glandular engorgement. v

2. A breast support according to claim 1 wherein said support includes upper and lower relatively narrow strips of inelastic material, a central strip of relatively inelastic material connected to said upper and lower strips and relatively inelastic side strips bridging said upper and lower strips and lying on the outer sides of said breasts, and said panels of elastic material are secured to said upper and lower strips, said central strip and said side strips.

3. A breast support according to claim 2 wherein said strips are formed of a woven fabric.

4. A breast support according to claim 2 wherein said panels are formed of a material having substantially uniform elastic characteristics over a substantially wide range of displacement from the plane of the material to apply substantially uniform pressure throughout the entire areas of the breasts.

5. A breast support according to claim 2 wherein the areas between the upper and lower strips are bounded by said central and side strips are closed by elastic panels formed in part of a central circular portion and at least one surrounding annular portion.

6. A breast support according to claim 5 wherein said circular and annular portions are formed of materials having different elastic properties.

7. A breast support for applying substantially even pressure to the breasts comprising interconnected front portions of elastic material readily conformable to the configuration of the architecture of the breasts and applying pressure thereto while maintaining the normal anatomical relationship of the breast tissue, side panels of elastic material extending from said front panels and overlying the axillary portions of the breasts to exert substantially uniform pressure thereon and means connecting said side panels to secure said support firmly in position about the wearer,

8. A breast support according to claim 7 wherein the elasticity of each front panel varies in radial directions outwardly from the center thereof 

1. A breast support which conforms to the anatomical configuration of the breast and alSo minimizes postpartum breast discomfort comprising a body encircling band having front panels substantially completely overlying and confining the breasts and side panels having top edges lying just beneath the arm and overlying the axillary portion of each breast, the panels of said band overlying each breast and said axillary portions being formed of an elastic material to exert substantially uniform pressure throughout each entire breast and conform to the anatomy of the breasts to minimize superficial venous and glandular engorgement.
 2. A breast support according to claim 1 wherein said support includes upper and lower relatively narrow strips of inelastic material, a central strip of relatively inelastic material connected to said upper and lower strips and relatively inelastic side strips bridging said upper and lower strips and lying on the outer sides of said breasts, and said panels of elastic material are secured to said upper and lower strips, said central strip and said side strips.
 3. A breast support according to claim 2 wherein said strips are formed of a woven fabric.
 4. A breast support according to claim 2 wherein said panels are formed of a material having substantially uniform elastic characteristics over a substantially wide range of displacement from the plane of the material to apply substantially uniform pressure throughout the entire areas of the breasts.
 5. A breast support according to claim 2 wherein the areas between the upper and lower strips are bounded by said central and side strips are closed by elastic panels formed in part of a central circular portion and at least one surrounding annular portion.
 6. A breast support according to claim 5 wherein said circular and annular portions are formed of materials having different elastic properties.
 7. A breast support for applying substantially even pressure to the breasts comprising interconnected front portions of elastic material readily conformable to the configuration of the architecture of the breasts and applying pressure thereto while maintaining the normal anatomical relationship of the breast tissue, side panels of elastic material extending from said front panels and overlying the axillary portions of the breasts to exert substantially uniform pressure thereon and means connecting said side panels to secure said support firmly in position about the wearer.
 8. A breast support according to claim 7 wherein the elasticity of each front panel varies in radial directions outwardly from the center thereof. 